The LSAC is reporting that "As of 04/08/16, there are 322,471 applications submitted by 49,509 applicants for the 2016–2017 academic year. Applicants are up 1.6% and applications are up 1.9% from 2015–2016. Last year at this time, we had 88% of the preliminary final applicant count." Based on this preliminary data, one would predict that there will be around 56,260 applicants for 2016-17.
The last post in this series is here.
The academy has made a number of significant changes and students are better off because of them. These numbers are a reflection of that.
Let's look back: to April 2014:
"#1 – Intro – Enroll Today!
Why 2017-2018 Will Be a Fantastic Time to Graduate from Law School
… I want prospective law students to know that this time I mean it. Enroll today or you will miss out on what might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Namely, the chance to graduate from law school in 2017-2018, which will likely be one of the best times ever to graduate from law school."
Changes, indeed.
Celebrating the academy's changes in a blurb about right-sizing law school is as intellectually dishonest as celebrating the big banks for changes in financial regulation since 2008 or celebrating the Republican or Democratic establishment for the candidacies of Trump or Sanders. You don't get to be an obstacle and then claim credit,
Dean Jerry Lundegaard of St. Paul Extension University's Blackstone Law School, for a limited time only, is offering all new enrollees free Tru-Coat. Call today, Operators Standing By! Have your credit card ready!
Professor Brophy,
In your 18 posts about law school sales, you forgot to mention Attorney Brian D. Bixby, 63 of Boston who earned $875K last year. He was portrayed in the April 10, 2016 Income and Salary edition of Parade Magazine. Move Iron, Sales, BABY!!!!!!
anon @ 10:37. Do you really think that applicants are aware of the far-less-than-significant changes legal Ed has made and that they therefore made a conscious decision to apply to law school because of these changes?
Bottom line: anyone deciding to go law to law school in the next cycle is still taking an enormous financial risk.
BTW, can you list for us the significant changes the "academy" has made that will benefit these students?
Among other things:
1. More transparency, including with respect to employment numbers
2. Reduced tuition in certain circumstances
3. Greater emphasis on developing practice skills/practice-readiness
4. More faculty with strong practice backgrounds
5. More focus on ensuring strong employment outcomes
anon: these changes are far, far from significant in terms of the numbers of schools that he implemented them or the extent to which they have been implemented
Tuition reduction: how many schools and how much
More practitioner/faculty: again at how many schools and what % of tenured or tenure track faculty at each school
Curriculum: what % of courses are skills based
Many of these above changes are mere window dressing at most schools
In terms of employment outcomes, these were forced on schools by the ABA with much resistance by many